The Modena is a fancy pigeon breed with a long history and is considered by many fanciers one of the finest show pigeons. It is easy to breed and has a good temperament, which makes it a common choice for beginners.
Modena Pigeon Origins
This pigeon probably has one of the most colourful histories of any breed.
True to its name, it first appeared in the town of Modena in Northern Italy.
The modern Modena is very different to the original breed.
It is often claimed that the Modena’s ancestors go back more than 2,000 years to pigeons kept by the Ancient Romans, though this is hard to prove.
According to breed histories, in the 1300s the Modena was a small and slim bird flown in competitive flock-flying contests.
This was a crazy time for pigeons in Modena. These contests were fiercely competitive – they used to hold what was known as a “Pigeon Olympiad”.
The intense rivalry between owners became violent.
Rival owners would kidnap other owners’ birds holding them to ransom or destroying them.
There are even accounts of incidents where explosives were attached to captured birds who were sent back to their owner’s flock to deliberately kill as many of the rival birds as possible.
Eventually, Modena’s city officials are said to have passed laws to prevent the killing of birds from an opposing team/owner.
There’s not much known from then on.
The story picks up and gains pace in the 1800s.
By now, these flying contests had been dying out and the pigeons kept for show purposes.
Breed histories say an American imported a Modena from Amsterdam in 1834 and a Professor Bonizzi sent 50 pairs of Modena to Germany in 1878, and that at least one pair went on from there to England.
Sometime previous to that, the Modena had been crossed with the Florentine pigeon and others, so beginning the selective breeding that resulted in the beautiful bird so prized today.
Breeding resulted in shorter bodies and wider breasts than the original bird and a change in the range of colours.
Flying ability also decreased in the newer birds so much so that today’s Modenas are mostly for show purposes or kept as pets.
It is widely accepted that the modern Modena can trace its genealogy back to the Bonizzi pigeons sent to Germany but because most of the selective breeding that led to the modern pigeon took place in England, the breed is most commonly known now as the English Modena.
The selective breeding produced a very striking difference in the old and modern Modena as illustrated below.
Modena Pigeon Appearance
Modena pigeons average about 25 cm tall and 18 cm long.
They typically weigh about 350 grams.
They have a proud and erect posture with a generously proportioned breast, they are similar in build to the Florentine pigeon and the Strasser pigeon.
Unlike most pigeons, its wings are uptilted, and the tail is carried high.
They generally have a soft, rounded appearance often defined as cute.
There’s a lot of variation in Modena pigeon colours.
Few pigeon breeds come in as many colours. In 1876, Professor P. Bonizzi (opens in new tab) identified and documented 152 colours of the pigeon (opens in new tab).
Some of these colours have been bred out and other, new colours, have been bred in.
The Modena Pigeon Club of Great Britain has been reported to recognise around 75 colours.
There are two variations – based on pattern type – these are the Schietti (solid-coloured) and the Gazzi (pied – white body with coloured head, wing and tail).
Some of the colour combinations and patterns are extremely striking and attractive, only adding to their reputation of being beautiful birds.
Modena Pigeon Behaviour
Much like other types of pigeons, Modenas are docile and easy to tame. That makes them great show birds, but they’re also ideal for raising as pets.
They’re a great starter bird for people who are new to pigeons and their habits. They don’t mind being handled and are sociable, so they coexist well with other pigeons.
Breeding Modena Pigeons
Modena pigeons usually lay two eggs per clutch.
Each egg can hatch into either a cock or a hen, so a clutch may give one of each, two cocks or two hens.
The mother and father pigeon generally work together to feed and rear the squabs.
As with all pigeon breeds, the Modena incubates its eggs and then spends a few weeks feeding the young crop milk and caring for them until they are ready to leave the nest.
Modena Pigeon Variations
The German Modena pigeon is a breed variation.
Like the Italian version, this one was selectively bred over many years, but its origins are in Germany – most likely to have come from those imported from Professor Bonizzi.
It’s also called Modene Type Allemand, Deutsche Modeneser or Modenese Tedesco.
They were originally intended as flying birds, but eventually became ornamental.
Smaller than the English Modena, in the German Modena the features are less rounded, the wings have less of an uptilt and the tail is not carried as high.
They have a longer neck and fuller breast than the English Modena and shorter wings and tail feathers.
Their base feathers are fluffy, while the rest of their feathers are smooth.
Overall, the German Modena has a shape and stature much like that of a common barnyard chicken
The German Modena is considered easier to care for than its English counterpart.
It’s a good choice for a pet and is easy to tame and take care of.
It is well behaved and gets along with other birds well.
If you’re looking for a docile and friendly pigeon, the Modena pigeon is the ideal choice.
Not only are they easy to get along with, but they are attractive too.
Last updated 31 October 2026 · Types